KOSOVO: KAMENICA: ARRIVAL OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPERS (V)

Описание: (10 Jul 1999) Voice and effects

Russian peacekeepers have arrived in eastern Kosovo for their first deployment as part of international peace keeping force in the war-torn province.

The contingent arrived from Pristina and will at first be operating in a sector controlled by U-S forces.

Many ethnic Albanians are against the deployment of Russian troops who they fear will favour Serbs - Moscow's traditional allies in the region.

00:02
The arrival of Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo is controversial.

In June, it was Russian troops that moved into the province ahead of NATO forces, securing the capital's airport.

Their presence is also unpopular with the ethnic Albanians -- who fear they will no protect them against Serbs, Moscow's traditional allies.

NATO command has raised concerns that Russian-controlled areas would experience an influx of ethnic Serbs, leading to even greater partition of the province.

To quell those fears, Russia has agreed to send troops to operate in peacekeeping sectors run by German, French and American troops.

The small eastern town of Kamenica will be home to this first contingent.

00:44
They are setting up their base in this damaged factory on the outskirts of the town.

The factory had previously formed part of the U-S army headquarters in the area.

KFOR will be closely monitoring their deployment.

More Russian troops are expected to arrive in the next few weeks, after some five Russian ships loaded with five hundred vehicles and two thousand personnel heads towards Greece.

The advance party includes 86 soldiers and three armoured personnel carriers

Moscow was infuriated by the 78-day NATO bombing campaign that forced Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to accept a peace plan for Kosovo.

NATO plans to deploy 55,000 peacekeepers, about half of which are in place.

The Russian contingent in K-FOR is eventually expected to number three thousand six hundred troops.

VISION ENDS: 01:49

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